Online Therapy for SEL

Today there are more and more online therapy options being offered. With the advent of Telehealth and other similar platforms, affordable and accessible therapy has never been more widely available. We should be taking advantage of this at a school and district level. Not every school can afford to have a mental health counselor. Furthermore, not every parent can afford or find the time to drive and pay for their child to attend services. Online therapy offers a great way for kids who are troubled and those who are at risk to get help quickly and easily. With the taboo of therapy slowly going away, we need to take advantage of these valuable resources that were not present until COVID made them an absolute necessity.

The mental health epidemic is real. Ignoring it will only make it worse and leave our kids with more and more issues. One of my sisters-in-law is a guidance counselor for at risk youth and she uses these technologies all the time. While they might not be as desirable as an in person meeting for some, others prefer the ease and accessibility it offers. If we want our kids to be emotionally healthy people when they get older, they need to get help earlier as research shows kids are developing issues at a more rapid pace than ever in today's complex world. As someone who has benefited greatly from therapy, I've found that there are tons of qualified practitioners out there and all you have to do is look. Take the first step and admit to yourself if you need help or not. If you need help, there is no shame in asking. End the stigma!